Heart Valve Disease

The Palm Beach Health Network offers a personalized and innovative approach to treating heart valve conditions.

What is Heart Valve Disease?

Heart valve disease occurs when one or more of your four heart valves are not functioning properly. These four heart valves contain tissue flaps that open and close when the heart beats. These flaps are considered roadmaps for your heart, responsible for letting your blood flow properly through your heart’s chambers and the rest of your body. When you have heart valve disease, your body may not get enough blood or your blood can seep back into your heart. When left untreated, advanced heart valve disease may lead to complications or further health consequences, such as stroke, heart failure or even death.

What Are the Symptoms of Heart Valve Disease?

Heart valve disease may be hard to detect because some people may not experience symptoms for years or until the condition becomes severe. If you believe you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, it's important you see cardiologists immediately to determine proper diagnosis and treatment. 

  • Breathing difficulties
  • Chest pain
  • Fatigue
  • Inability to maintain regular activity level
  • Lightheadedness or fainting, dizziness
  • Shortness of breath, particularly when active or lying down
  • Palpitations
  • Swollen ankles, feet or abdomen
  • Weakness

What Are the Risk Factors of Heart Valve Disease?

Heart valve disease can be present at birth (congenital). There are also several causes for heart valve disease to occur in adults, such as:

  • Connective tissue disorders
  • History of certain forms of heart disease or heart attack
  • Heart failure
  • History of infections that can affect the heart
  • High blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and other heart disease risk factors
  • Age-related degeneration

Types of Heart Valve Disease

Heart valve conditions usually arise from two main types of problems:

Regurgitation (or leakage of the valve) - This occurs when the valve flaps are not able to close properly, causing blood to leak backward in your heart. This commonly occurs due to valve flaps bulging back, a condition called prolapse.

Stenosis (or narrowing of the valve) - This occurs when the valve flaps become thick or stiff and possibly fuse together, resulting in a narrowed valve opening and limited blood flow through the valve.

Heart valves can develop both regurgitation and stenosis at the same time. Additionally, more than one heart valve can be affect at the same time. The following outlines the types of valve diseases caused by regurgitation and / or stenosis.

Types of Heart Valve Disease

How is Heart Valve Disease Diagnosed?

Your cardiologists will investigate further diagnostic tests if your heart sounds heard through a stethoscope are abnormal. This is typically the first step in diagnosing a heart valve disease. To further define the type of valve disease and extent of the damage, your cardiologists may order the following:

  • Echocardiogram (ECHO) – Specialized ultrasound to help doctors see if there are leaks in your heart valves, how well the heart is functioning and what is causing the valve problem.
  • Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) – Takes a detailed picture of your heart to help the cardiologist confirm if a heart valve is damaged.
  • Cardiac Catheterization – Shows how well your valves open and helps determine if your blood flows backwards.
  • Chest X-Ray – Helps doctors determine the size and shape of your heart valves and chambers.
  • Electrocardiogram (EKG) – Records the heart’s electrical signals to help detect abnormal heart rhythms.
  • Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) - Uses sound waves to create an image of the valves and chambers of the heart on a computer monitor 

How is Heart Valve Disease Treated?

Our cardiology team may recommend a combination of treatment options for heart valve disease which may include any of the following:

  • Prescription medications
  • Lifestyle changes (e.g., avoiding smoking, limiting alcohol intake, switching to a heart-healthy diet, drinking lots of water, exercising regularly, etc.)
  • Repairing heart valves through minimally invasive procedures or surgery
  • Procedural Interventions

The Structural Heart programs at Palm Beach Health Network are trained to address the unique needs of heart valve disease and tailor a comprehensive treatment plan. This includes using the least invasive approach and the most effective therapy to ensure the quickest return to normal life. Procedures for heart valve disease include:

Procedural Interventions

Heart Valve Clinic

Your heart deserves quality care, and our board certified physicians at the Palm Beach Health Network are specially trained to perform valve procedures to replace or repair the aortic valve. Our specialized hear team approach speeds up the process of evaluating the problem from weeks or months down to just one day. 

Our Valve Clinics enable collaborative care across the Palm Beach Health Network. First, you will receive an evaluation by the cardiovascular surgeon where you’ll review together your prior diagnostic studies. If there is any additional testing required, such as an echocardiogram or CT scan, they will be ordered and completed quickly. 

Once all testing has been performed, your doctors will take your individual results of all testing and work together to determine the most effective approach for your care. We promise to work closely with your personal cardiologist to ensure a smooth transition back into their care once your treatment with us is over.

Find a Cardiologist

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Speak with a Cardiovascular Patient Navigator

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Heart Quiz

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